Metabolic Fate of Benthiocarb Herbicide in Plants

Abstract

The metabolic fate of ¹⁴C-benthiocarb in rice and barnyard millet at the 4-leaf stage was studied. Benthiocarb was degraded rapidly after absorption through the root. Most of the radioactivity in the plants was extracted with aqueous acetone. The radioactivity in the water-soluble fraction and the aqueous acetone-unextractable residue increased with decreasing benthiocarb. Desethyl benthiocarb, S-4-chlorobenzyl thiocarbamate, 4-chlorobenzoic acid, 2-hydroxybenthiocarb, desethyl 2-hydroxybenthiocarb, 4-chloro-2-hydroxybenzyl alcohol and 4-chlorosalicylic acid were identified as the metabolic products by thin-layer chromatography. Five of them having hydroxy group and/or carboxyl group, and 4-chlorobenzyl alcohol were also found as conjugation products. The same metabolic products were also found in both the root and foliage of both plants. There was little difference in the metabolic pattern of both plants.